


The Art of Leaning Out Of The Ordinary

by OrangeSorbetto



Category: Inazuma Eleven, Inazuma Eleven GO
Genre: Aftermath of Violence, Enemies to Lovers, M/M, Mentions of Violence, Self-Indulgent, zanagan
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-07-04
Updated: 2019-07-04
Packaged: 2020-06-03 22:27:47
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,073
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19473478
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/OrangeSorbetto/pseuds/OrangeSorbetto
Summary: Zanark Avalonic is recruited to work with Protocol Omega a while after the war with Feida ended. He decides to use this opportunity to get to know Gamma, or rather have Gamma get to know him and where he came from.





	The Art of Leaning Out Of The Ordinary

“I just don’t understand why it’s imperative that we have to work with Zanark.”

Gamma’s voice was pure bitterness as he spoke to Sakamaki. Gamma always treated him and every other mentor and head of El Dorado with respect when it came to missions, but now he would dare question his orders. 

Zanark was the one foe that Gamma would allow himself to have. Sure, he was rivals with Beta, and even the cold disposition that was Alpha, but Gamma hated Zanark.

“Yeah, I think as long as you have all of us, this mission will be easy.” Beta was referring to the Protocol Omega teams. If anything, the end of the war with the Second Stage Children had brought the captains of El Dorado’s temporal agent soccer teams closer together. They got along better then ever which meant they tended to band together against a decision they didn’t like.

This time the decision was Zanark. 

“As you know,” Sakamaki began, looking at the group of captains and Einamu who followed Alpha loyally, with a stern posture. “This is a sensitive mission that has to do with dangerous criminals. Zanark knows how to get through to them.” 

“He should be in prison.” Gamma said bitterly now facing Zanark who was standing behind the member of El Dorado.

“I was pardoned.” Zanark grinned at the captain who was so clearly in disagreement. “Don’t you remember? I’m the reason you’re not all dead.”

“It wasn’t all you.” Alpha can’t help but lay the facts. A team is a team. 

“You’ll need to settle your differences.” Sakamaki warned as he handed the captains the individual work plans. “As you can guess Zanark and one other has been assigned to field work and the other two leaders are assigned to data work here at El Dorado.”

Still bitter with the fact they had to work with the man who humiliated him, Gamma stared at the closed booklet that was his plan. He gingerly opened it to reveal what was his biggest fear. 

FIELD WORK.

The big red letters taunted Gamma has if he was just humiliated all over again. “Sakamaki, Sir, I can’t do this. I refuse. Is this some kind of joke?”

Zanark grinned wide as if he knew the outcome. He held his file by the corner in one hand. He didn’t even open it. 

“You can and you will.” The older man declared. “We have decided that your balance in abilities will match Zanark’s best. It should lead to the best outcomes.”

Gamma glared at his enemy. “Did you do this on purpose?” He questioned with poison in his voice.

“Maybe I did.”

“You two need to get along.” Sakamaki shook his head and then looked at both of them. “This shouldn’t be a difficult mission, but it may take some time. Alpha and Beta, I need you two to keep an eye on them, remotely, while they go out into the field. Make sure the flow of time doesn’t get too corrupted. The criminal in pursuit has gained technology that alters the lines around him, which, as you all know, is a potentially hazardous. This man has no disregard for the past, present, or future and we’ve been able to clean up after him thus far. However, he’s violent and is using this technology for his own personal gain, and that includes hurting other people.” Sakamaki looked to his field work agents. “You are tasked with apprehending him because Zanark knows the criminal and we believe both of you can take him down with your strength and intelligence on the subject of time alteration. Can you do it?” He asked this question more like a statement. He knew they could do it. Still, he looked at Gamma for reassurance of his thoughts.

Gamma only took a moment to consider what would happen if he said no, but he decided against it. “Yes, sir.”

“Good, then do your best.”

As the head of El Dorado left, Beta looked at Gamma. “We’ll be keeping an eye on you.” She said it like a joke, and poked Gamma in the shoulder.

“Let’s go.” Alpha gestured to her and to Einamu. He liked his company, and so did all the other captains. Einamu was granted special permission to be on these sorts of missions because of that.

After they left as well, Gamma looked over the file as to the location and time.

Without warning, Zanark clicked a button on the navigator on his cheek, provided by El Dorado. He teleported the both of them before the other could even comprehend.

“What the hell!?” Gamma wasn’t afraid to be crass around his enemy. 

“This is where we need to be.” He shrugged, as if he didn’t do anything. “It’s the present, but the location is what’s important.”

Gamma rolled his eyes and continued to look through the file before teleporting it away. “I’m in charge here, so don’t get any funny ideas.” He said after a second.   
Zanark chuckled a bit. It wasn’t like him to relinquish his power so easily, but it was like him to lie about it. “I know, I know, Leader.”

“Smart.” Gamma said bitterly towards him as if to put him in his place. As they began walking and searching through the ruins, Gamma realized where they were.  
“It’s the part of town Feida destroyed.” Zanark explained as if he was reading his mind. 

“I know.” Gamma scolded again. However, as he looked around, he couldn’t help but feel a little sad. There were many buildings that didn’t survive and those were very clearly the older ones. Pieces of history lost to war. Very few remained. 

In an instant, there was a beep and a flash for the button on the navigator to be held down. 

“The waves of time are distorted there.” Alpha’s voice rang through the device. 

“Be careful, the guy probably is staking you guys out.” Beta warned as well. “We don’t have any evidence of it yet, but, you know, he might.”

“Find a place to lie low a moment, while we track the signal. Stay out of sight for a bit.”

“Sounds good.” Gamma confirmed.

“I thought you’d say that.” Zanark grinned.

Gamma rolled his eyes. This guy was not only a jerk, he was so pretentious too. There was only going to be so much he could take.

“I know this area.” Zanark continued. “I know a perfect place.” 

Gamma looked at him skeptically as he began to walk away. He decided to follow even if it wasn’t very leader-like of him. “Where are we going?”

“You’ll see.”

“No.” Gamma stopped in his tracks and crossed his arms. “I’m not going with you until you tell me. I trust you about as far as I can throw you.”

Zanark stopped and turned around looking at the other. There was something about Gamma that caught his attention from the beginning. However, he wasn’t too sure what. Perhaps his strong attitude was the reason why. “And why don’t you trust me?” He decided to ask even though he knew the answer.

Gamma stared at him as if he had said the stupidest thing he had ever heard. “Why?” He shook his head incredulously. “Because you’re a criminal! Even if El Dorado pardoned you, you did something bad enough to be considered ‘S-rank’ so of course I don’t trust you. Also, remember that time you humiliated me? That’s a factor too!”

The former criminal let out a snicker as he did in fact, remember that time. “Well, I’m not going to be doing anything like that to you. You can at least trust that.” 

“You hated El Dorado. How do I trust you’re not just going to push me in the line of fire then?” 

“Well, you’re not good to me dead, are you?” Zanark chose not to elaborate on that thought before he went on. “Besides if you want to give away our location without a thought, that’s on you. But I’m going to get to safety first.” 

Gamma watched him turn around as he weighed his options. It would be easy to deny Zanark’s plans and ignore him, but then he could face repercussions with El Dorado by being sent to re-eduction in Mugen Prison. So, it was either that or blindly follow a criminal. Unfortunately for Gamma’s morals, anything was better then being sent to re-education, so he reluctantly walked after Zanark.

Only a few minutes of cautious walking lead them to a very old, yet still standing building. It definitely looked as if it belonged in the 21st century or perhaps earlier. This thought was complimented by the fancy kanji written on the building. If it wasn’t for the fact that Gamma had specifically read about the subject in the words, he might not have noticed.

“Kabuki?”

“Impressive.” Zanark stood in front of the building as if he had some sort of pride for it.

“We’re going to hide here?” Gamma asked quietly knowing the culprit could be around anywhere.

Zanark didn’t answer. He just pulled back a different piece of rubble to what looked like a makeshift entrance. He looked back at the Protocol Omega member and gestured to the door. “After you.” He jokingly said as if he was escorting a prince to a castle and not a reluctant captain to a ruined building.

“It’s safe, no corrupt timelines there.” Beta informed over the intercom. The data members were always watching, and Gamma was sure they were having a kick at watching the two in this situation.

“See?” Zanark continued to hold the entrance open. 

Gamma begrudgingly ducked through as not to ruin his hair and stepped with caution. There were rotted floorboards all around and he didn’t want to end up going through the floor of what looked like a lobby once. 

But as he entered and Zanark closed the “door” behind them, Gamma now had a chance to observe his surroundings. The intricacy of the carvings on the pillars and the paintings on the walls of the theater lobby were dulled by an immense amount of dust and charred wood. The doors to what was presumed was the playhouse area were covered in ash and cracks. Gamma figured the place would have been beautiful once, but now it was mostly creepy and dangerous.

“Let’s go up to the balcony.” Zanark looked between the doors and finally opened one. He grinned when he saw the staircase behind it. “We can go up this one. But only this one. The other two are practically dead wood and too dangerous. Follow me.”

It was clear Zanark knew where he was going, and he took careful work at where he stepped. Considering the dilapidated state of the building, Gamma just followed without question. He didn’t want to end up going through the stairs either.

“Come here often?” Gamma could tell by the elaborate footwork of his partner that he had, and he was more asking rhetorically.

Zanark chuckled as he reached the top, opening yet another door. He walked through first just to make sure the floors were still sturdy. “You could say that.”

Gamma went through the door and stopped as he looked over the view of the balcony. While the outside was completely in tatters, the inside was strangely immaculate. Save for the dust and the wall damage to the building, it seemed as if the destruction didn’t reach the inside. There were a few holes in the ceiling however, that would let the elements in, but it didn’t seem as if anything was rotting. Plus, the light from the holes seemed to make the dust sparkle, and act as spotlights for the stage. The stage floor seemed untouched, as did the painted backdrop of cherry blossoms that made one believe the scene must have taken place outside in Spring. 

It was astonishing how well put together it was, and Gamma couldn’t help but stare. It was as if a play were to start at any moment and the houselights had just dimmed. 

“The inside of this place is pretty nice, huh?” Zanark was having fun watching Gamma stare. “I mean, except for the holes in the walls, but it’ll make it easy for us to stay guard.”

“This theater doesn’t look as run-down as I expected.” Gamma admitted, almost breathlessly as he stared at the pink cherry blossoms on the painted screens. It was so strange to see all of this compared to what they walked in on.

Zanark nodded. “Well, if you would have been here three or four years ago, you would have seen it running, so that’s probably why.” 

“Really?” From the damage outside, plus the fact that Kabuki was such an old art, he would have assumed the opposite. 

He just nodded back. “It was even prettier back then.” He sat in one of the seats and gestured for Gamma to join him, but he didn’t. He decided it would be safer to stand to keep his guard up instead. 

They stayed in silence for a while before there was a signal from Alpha.

“We lost the frequencies of the time disruption.” Alpha said in a calm voice, even though this was no calm matter. “Be careful.”

“How did you lose the frequencies?” Gamma asked in disbelief. Once Protocol Omega had a hold on a time disruption it was impossible to lose. Or so they thought. 

“It just disappeared?” Beta’s voice was a little more frantic and annoyed. She was clearly just as perplexed. 

“He’s probably found a way to manipulate it.” Zanark spoke into the navigator and intercom. “The guy’s not dumb, he probably spent a long time planning this.”

“Well stay hidden until we can find it.” Beta commanded. “We have Einamu on it too now.” 

Einamu was usually very good at following data and extracting what they needed, so he often was put on jobs like this. The captains never wanted to admit it, but he was the best at it.

“Well.” Zanark gestured to the seat. “Might as well join me, then.”

Gamma paused before he let out an annoyed sigh and sat down, leaving a seat in between them. He crossed his legs at the knee and stared out to the stage.

Any advances of small talk that Zanark led were met with a cold shoulder from Gamma. He was not interested in making friends with him, so they decided to sit in silence. They both lost count of how many minutes went by when Zanark finally tried again.

“That took weeks to paint.” He pointed at the screens on the stage.

Finally, Gamma decided that was enough silence and decided to bite the bait. “How do you know that?”

“I knew the guy.” He answered nonchalantly. 

Skeptical still, Gamma narrowed his eyes but decided to egg him on. “How?”

“Friend of my family’s.” He answered again. He had never spoke of his family before, but he decided now was as good a time as ever. Besides perhaps it was the only way that Gamma would speak to him.

That mention of family did catch Gamma off-guard. He didn’t expect him to bring up anything like that. “Is that how you know this place?” 

“Wouldn’t you like to know?” Zanark grinned. “If you don’t trust me, why should I trust you?”

He should have seen that coming but Gamma still didn’t expect it. “I trust that you’re conceited enough to talk about yourself.” The sass in his voice was evident, and he wouldn’t be made a fool by this man anymore.

However, Zanark just laughed. “That may be true, but I’m not an idiot.” He continued to look at his work partner as he spoke. “How do I know you won’t use it against me?”

Gamma just shrugged and looked back out over the balcony. “I guess you’ll never know.” He was bitter that he even attempted to play him into saying he trusted him. He knew the way he was trying to manipulate him, but he wouldn’t fall for it. 

It was silent again for a few moments as they both waited for a word from El Dorado. When there was nothing Zanark spoke up.

“I know this place because my family owned it.” He admitted.

Gamma would have gloated that he knew he was right about being conceited enough to talk about himself, if it wasn’t for the sorrow in his voice when he mentioned it. He looked over expecting a smirk or some sort of trick but there was nothing. Was he being serious? “Really?” He finally broke again. It would be a lie if he said he wasn’t interested now.

“Yeah.” Zanark let out a small sigh that seemed sad for some reason. “They ran it for hundreds of years supposedly. Do you know anything about Kabuki?” He looked back over at the other now.

Gamma was so captivated by the solemn expression and tone of his voice that he almost didn’t catch the question. “Ah, yes.” He finally said, but then backtracked when he processed the question fully. “Well, I know of it, just what I’ve read about. I haven’t ever seen it.”

Zanark nodded and turned to stare out at the cherry blossoms again, reminiscing on the memory of the art. “My mother was a direct descendant of the Ichikawa family. They have been in Kabuki for longer then the age of this building. So, the art had been passed down through our family for that many generations. Ending with me, I guess.”

Gamma was staring as he spoke completely engrossed by this weird disposition, he didn’t expect to see from the man he hated. He seemed so sad, it was almost humanizing. “It…doesn’t have to end with you, does it? I mean you were given a second chance at life…”

Zanark just shrugged. “A cat only has so many lives, you know? I don’t think this theater is very salvageable. And I don’t think I’d be a very good parent.”

Going through all these excuses, Gamma just looked out to the cherry blossoms now joining him. This was a weird side of Zanark. Something he had definitely never seen before. He knew he shouldn’t trust him, but this story seemed legitimate. At least he felt like it did.

“It’s funny how things change.” Zanark gave a sad chuckle as he spoke. “If you would have talked to me three or four years ago it would have been different. I would have told you I was planning on carrying out the Ichikawa lineage and been excited to do it. You could have seen me on that stage doing what my family before me taught me.”

“You?” Gamma looked back over at him, with a sharp head turn. “You were a kabuki actor?”

Zanark found his astonishment amusing, and he chuckled again, a little less sad. “Yeah.” He answered. “I was the youngest in a few generations, they said. But I’d been in the art of stage performance since I was little.”

Gamma pulled his legs up onto the seat now, interested in the things he had to say about it. “Really? What kind of performance?”

“Acting, dancing, singing, makeup, the works, you know.”

Gamma’s eyes shone. As he was listening, he found this subject to be so interesting, he forgot they were on a mission. He had always been interested in performance art as he was a dancer in a different life. The one outside of El Dorado. But given his current status in life as a temporal agent, he knew he would never be able to do anything performance wise. 

“You really used to do all of that?” He asked incredulously, holding his knees.

Zanark nodded. “Yeah.” He answered. “I guess I was good at it too, because I was constantly cast in things. But in the end, it wasn’t really my calling.”

Gamma could understand doing something that wasn’t your calling, but he was thrust into this role as a temporal agent due to his skills, and he knew that he would stay. He didn’t really have the same luxury as Zanark just to leave. 

“I mean, I loved it.” Zanark justified. “I guess, fate had different plans.” 

Gamma’s soft expression changed at that thought, thinking they were one in the same, but it really was different. He had to remember that. “Different plans, like   
ending up in jail?” He asked again with sass in his voice.

The other took it well and gave a chuckle. He didn’t answer, but he just stared back out into the painted blossoms, still remembering simpler times. As Gamma continued to try to read him with his eyes, he went on. “Do you know why they threw me into prison?”

“Yeah, murder and terrorism.” Gamma had read the file on the man who humiliated him after the fact. He was obsessed with getting revenge for a small while, but after reading his file he decided not to. He let that desire go, and decided to carry on, letting him be a lifelong enemy. Besides it wasn’t detailed enough anyways. It just said murder and terrorism.

The former criminal just blinked, staring out at what looked like nothing now. Just blanking out in his thoughts. It was a few seconds of silence before the spoke up. “They threw me in for murdering my family and torching some buildings that El Dorado owned.”

Gamma’s heart stopped when he heard that. He didn’t know the details of the crime before, but now knowing that he murdered the family he spoke so fondly of just made him seem more like a monster. He shook his head in thought. “That’s awful.” He choked down. How could he ever think they were anything close?

“Yeah.” Zanark had a strange mix of remorse and anger on his face, that Gamma couldn’t read. The truth was he was feeling both of those things. “The worst part is, if I told you the truth, I know you wouldn’t believe me.”

These mind games he was playing were starting to work on Gamma. He couldn’t help his natural curiosity on the man he hated. “What’s your version of the truth then?” He made sure not to say “the truth” because he didn’t want him to think he was trusting him. He first and foremost believed El Dorado.

And the other knew that. Zanark shook his head. “Your indoctrinated little mind wouldn’t be able to fathom the truth.” He said bitterly.

“Try me.”

The mind games worked. Gamma was genuinely curious and Zanark had an in to win his trust. “I was showing signs of my second stage child powers long before I knew.” He said simply. “Somehow El Dorado found out my mom was harboring me, and in retaliation, they burned my house down, murdering my mom, my stepfather, and my brothers and sisters, and when they found out I survived the fire they blamed me. So, me and a bunch of my friends started protesting them, and we burned down some of their property. They eventually caught us and threw us into prison. My friends for abetting terrorism and me for terrorism and murder.” 

Zanark was right, Gamma couldn’t believe that El Dorado would do such a thing. Then again, they had used underhanded methods in the past to get their way, so it wasn’t too surprising, but Gamma didn’t want to believe that. “You’re lying.” He said quietly.

“Why would El Dorado pardon a murderer and terrorist if it wasn’t true? But believe what you want.” He said, cold and unfeeling. “I know I’m telling the truth.”

It was something about that statement that made Gamma believe it. He didn’t want too, but he seemed so sad. It seemed like the words of someone defeated. No wonder he behaved the way he did, if it was true. They treated him so unfairly like that of course he would lash out. 

“What about your father?” That detail wouldn’t leave Gamma’s head until he asked.

“I never knew him. My stepfather was like my father, though. He was a good guy.” Zanark sighed sadly, staring out into the cherry blossoms now.

The story was so sad, Gamma couldn’t help but sympathize. It might not have been true, but he wanted it to be. “I don’t have a family either.” He told him. “None of us at Protocol Omega do, really.”

“Yeah.” Zanark nodded, already knowing that fact, but decided not to mention. He wouldn’t tell him about how he hacked into El Dorado’s computer and was able to find tons of facts about the members of Protocol Omega, including Gamma and his hobby for dance.

They were silent for a good couple of minutes as they sat, stewing in the sadness of their lives. It was depressing, but the heavy atmosphere weighed too hard to remember they were on a mission for a while.

But when the fact that they hadn’t heard from El Dorado in a while struck, Gamma pressed a button on the navigator, only to get a dead signal. 

“Huh?” Gamma and Zanark caught eyes when they realized that someone must have cut their connection. Which, like losing a frequency was not that easy, and thought to be impossible. “Do you have a signal?”

“No.” He muttered and stood up quickly. “It must be the guy.” The guy he was referring to, was their criminal. 

Gamma stood up as well and looked around. “What do we do?” He walked away from the seats looking out of the holes in the walls to see if he could find any sign of someone suspicious. “It must mean he’s nearby, right? Do you see him?”

“Yeah.” Zanark said nonchalantly.

Gamma looked over at him curiously to see a malicious grin. Before he could ask why, he felt an arm quickly slink around his neck and shoulders, pulling him into a headlock, and pressing what Gamma assumed was a gun, to his head.

“What the--!?”

“Anyone move, and I’ll shoot your head off.” The man said right next to Gamma’s ear. He couldn’t see him, but he sounded frantic. It was now a moment of one wrong move, and he could be dead. And Zanark was smiling.

Actually, he laughed. “Go ahead, I don’t need him.” Zanark shrugged and crossed his arms. “Long time no see, old friend. I thought you’d be around here.”

“Zanark!?” Gamma tried to pull away again, but he was met with a stronger grasp then before. 

The man holding Gamma was silent a moment as he struggled to keep him still, but he kept the gun harder against his temple as a warning. “I thought you were working for El Dorado?”

“Heh, yeah they pardoned me and got me out of prison time for it. Can you believe they thought I’d actually go through with it?” He laughed again. “Actually, I came here looking for you myself. I just brought this guy as bait. You’re lucky I was able to cut the power off with El Dorado, or else they’d have swarmed the building looking for you by now.” 

Gamma’s mouth opened in response to that. When did he have time to do that?! When they were having that sentimental conversation?! And calling him bait--! That two-timing bastard…

“I was trying to get them off my trail all day.” The frantic man with a gun gave a relieved laugh.

“Are you telling me you’re working with this guy?!” Gamma finally asked incredulously.

Zanark kept his malicious smirk and shrugged. “I’d like to be.” He looked past Gamma and to his captor. “If you’d let me, I can help you take this guy out and make it look like an accident.”

“What’s in it for you, then?” The captor asked.

“I want whatever technology you have.” Zanark shrugged. “It will be easy to get rid of whoever I want if I have that.”

“How dare you--! Was anything you said true!?” Gamma asked. “Your family?! This theater!? Anything!?”

Zanark stared at him a moment and shrugged. “Some of it is. My family is dead.” He said surely and then shrugged. “But I killed them. And I’m not a Kabuki actor. I’m just a member of the lower middle class without a name.”

Gamma couldn’t believe that he would give into his sob story so easily. He dragged him here to use him and then get him killed. This just reinforced why he hated Zanark in the first place. If it wasn’t for him fearing his life, he would have apprehended him himself. 

“Fine, I’ll work with you.” The criminal holding Gamma said. “How do we get El Dorado off our backs?”

“First we gotta get rid of him.” Zanark gestured to Gamma. “As long as they keep thinking Gamma is in danger, they’ll come after us. But if we kill him and get the hell outta here, then they’d be none the wiser.”

Gamma could feel him grinning behind him as if he was just itching to kill him. It made his stomach turn to think this could be it. There had to be a way out of this somehow…

“But we can’t make it too obvious.” Zanark said looking around as if he was trying to see if anyone was around to see or hear them. If you shoot him while he’s on top of those stairs over there, it will look like an accident.” 

The man didn’t question the logic and he just backed up towards the staircase on the other side of the balcony, kicking the door open in the process. He turned around to make sure both he and Gamma were facing down the stairs.

These stairs looked worse than the ones they walked up. There were mostly made up of what looked like burned and rotted wood, and there were holes in every single step. They surely looked more dangerous than the ones they walked up.

Zanark followed behind. “Alright make sure you’re on the edge of the steps before you shoot him.” 

“Yeah, alright.” The man stepped on the very edge and looked back at his new partner in crime.

Gamma couldn’t see what was happening, because he didn’t dare turn when there was a gun to his head, but he quickly felt a jerk back as the gun left his temple and he heard a loud thud. The weight of the man holding him suddenly got heavy as if he had lost consciousness.

At that moment, Gamma felt his own arm being pulled back as the man who was holding him went limp and fell down the stairs. Just as he had predicted, the rotted wood beneath him broke and the man fell through the empty space that was below the stairs, completely unconscious. 

Gamma, however, had been jolted back so hard that he fell into Zanark as he did, grabbing onto the other’s shirt to stabilize himself. When he realized what had happened, he looked back up at the man who was still holding onto him back.

“That was easy. I always hated that guy.” Zanark muttered. “He used to try and beat up my friends all the time.” 

“You…saved me?” He said like a question, because he couldn’t fathom the idea.

Zanark chuckled a moment, holding the man’s gun in his hand that wasn’t holding his work partner. “I guess I did.” 

“But you…” Gamma was breathless as the adrenaline was still rushing through his veins. He was so sure he was about to die, and suddenly he was in the arms of the man he thought was going to get him killed. “You said you were working with him…?”

“I told you I’m an actor.” He grinned again, now a different smile. A more prideful one. “I thought you would have got that. Didn’t I tell you those stairs weren’t safe?” 

Suddenly, the adrenaline of the fear for his life wore off and a new type of adrenaline filled Gamma’s body. He pulled away from Zanark’s grasp and glared at him. “You lied to me!?” He asked as if he didn’t expect it in the beginning. He knew he couldn’t trust him. “You could have gotten me killed! What about that story you gave me was even true?! Was any of it true!?”

Zanark kept his smirk and shrugged. “I have an idea. Why don’t you go on a date with me, the man who saved your life and completed your mission, and you can find out?”

It was such a sudden statement that Gamma didn’t process it at first. When he did, his face turned bright red in embarrassment, and he suddenly got angrier. “How dare you mock me!?” His voice was high and breathless.

But before he could start a fight, the navigator beeped back on.

“We have connection again.” Alpha’s voice rang through it.

“We apprehended the guy.” Zanark said nonchalantly. “And if it wasn’t for me your captain would be dead.”

“I thought you cut the power…?” Gamma asked looking at him confused, but as soon as he asked he realized that was a lie too.

Zanark shook his head. “What about the word ‘actor’ do you not understand?” He grinned again, knowing he was being cheeky. “No, this idiot did it, but whatever power he was using must have worn off.” He gestured to the criminal in the floorboards.

Again, Gamma felt humiliated and annoyed at Zanark. “Let’s just go.” He muttered as he began to use the El Dorado technology to transport the man straight to prison. He clicked the button on the intercom. “I just sent him there. Mission complete.”

Afterwards, Zanark led them down the stairs and to the old lobby of the building. He stopped them before they left. “So, how about a date for the man who saved your life?” He tried again.

Gamma glared at him, but he couldn’t stay that mad. He did save his life, but he didn’t know what to trust. So, he just rolled his eyes, and started walking.

“Come on, one date. You have to admit you’re curious about the truth.” Zanark sauntered behind him, with an excited movement in his step.

“Yeah but I hate you.” Gamma said tersely as he left the building. “And how would I know anything you said was true anyways?”

“You’d just have to trust me.” Zanark walked up to his side now. “You can ask me anything on the date, and I’ll answer truthfully to subdue your curiosity. You’ll just have to trust me.” When he repeated it, he smiled wider than before.

Gamma kept his vision forward as he walked, putting off using the teleporter to get back to the headquarters. He didn’t want to have this conversation in El Dorado.  
“Fine.” He finally gave in. “One date. And you better tell me what’s the truth and what’s lies.” 

“Deal, then. Tomorrow night.”

“Make it tomorrow afternoon before I change my mind.”

“You won’t. Tomorrow night.”

Gamma gave a frustrated noise as he knew he would lose this battle, and he teleported back to the El Dorado’s research base. As he did, Beta had a wide grin on her face.

“So where are you going on your date~?”

Gamma turned bright red again. He forgot that the data team would be able to listen to their conversations. He crossed his arms and shook his head. “Shut it.” 

She giggled and clasped her hands together. “You’re dating the guy who saved your life! So romantic!” She was clearly mocking them, but only someone who knew Beta well, like Gamma, Alpha, and Einamu, would be able to see it. 

“We completed the mission. I’m leaving to finish some other work.”

As he turned to leave, he saw Zanark’s pleased expression, but he noticed something else. A more flushed look. A blush perhaps? It wasn’t something he’d ever seen on him before, but he decided not to dwell on it, and he rushed out of the room.

He didn’t hate Zanark as much as he did before, but he was still his enemy. Even if he saved his life and was taking him out on a date. It was just a date to settle his curiosity. That was all. He still didn’t like him.

And he hated that as soon as he was alone, he couldn’t stop smiling in anticipation of tomorrow night.

**Author's Note:**

> This is really self-indulgent, I'm sorry for all the headcanons. Yeah, it's kinda dumb and bad but uhhhh honestly I just really love Kabuki and that Zanakurou (Zanark's supposed ancestor) is a Kabuki actor. ANYWAY I hope you enjoyed it!!!!


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